Tag: ESPN College GameDay

‘Too good to pass up’: Lincoln Riley talks OU exit and USC job on ESPN’s College GameDay

Former Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley joined College GameDay and discussed his reasons for leaving to USC.

The questions aren’t going away any time soon for former Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley. That was the case again as Riley joined ESPN’s College GameDay and was asked why he chose to leave OU to become the new head football coach at USC.

ESPN’s David Pollack asked Riley how hard his decision to leave Oklahoma was.

“It was, I don’t know that I can even describe how hard it was, but executing it was hard. The people there that you love, the relationships, all the great memories. That was the hard part, but this was the right thing for my family, for me professionally. It was just the right place at the right time, and so really had no hesitation about that part of it. Just again I feel like what this can be is I think we’re very uniquely positioned right now with all that’s changing in college football and as you looked ahead, I felt like, man, this was just too good to pass up,” Riley said.

Riley takes over a USC program that ended its 2021 season with a 4-8 record. The Trojans lost six of their last seven games and finished the season on a four-game losing streak.

Riley is also looking to find another assistant coach after reports surfaced yesterday that former OU assistant coach Jamar Cain would no longer be following Riley to USC. Instead, Cain is reportedly off to join Brian Kelly’s staff at LSU as the Tigers’ defensive line coach and run game coordinator.

Cain coached outside linebackers and defensive ends at Oklahoma.

While Riley shipped off to Hollywood, Oklahoma hired its top target to be its next head football coach in former Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables.

“I’m honored and I’m humbled to stand with you and before you today as your next head football coach here at Oklahoma. Again, one of the winningest and storied, tradition-rich programs in the history of college football,” Venables said on Dec. 6 in his introduction ceremony inside the Everest Center in Norman.

If what Riley was referring to with his comments about college football changing was OU and Texas moving to the SEC, then Oklahoma fans can feel good that they have the right head coach to lead them into the nation’s toughest conference and into the future.

“Now, taking the lead and also taking it through one of the biggest transitions in the history of college football. Taking Oklahoma from the Big 12 to the SEC, you’ve got your guy to take you on this journey. Also, make no mistake about it. Oklahoma has been and always will be the measuring stick in college football. We will employ an exciting, fast, explosive and diverse offense combined with a physical, punishing, suffocating defense,” Venables said.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

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ESPN College GameDay Crowd Chants SEC during USC Head Coach Lincoln Riley Interview

Making an appearance on ESPN “College GameDay” Lincoln Riley was serenaded with chants of “SEC” by fans in Atlanta for the SEC Championship.

Though it was refuted by the people in the know, there were whispers that he wasn’t exactly fond of the Oklahoma Sooners move to the SEC. Making an appearance on ESPN’s “College GameDay” via video call, Lincoln Riley was serenaded with chants of “SEC” from fans in attendance in Atlanta for the SEC Championship.

The fans were not letting up on Riley or the Pac-12 either as this fan had a very timely sign to express his feelings toward Lincoln Riley’s move to USC.

Though the assumption is he’ll be just as successful, he still has to go and build a program that was 22-20 over the last four seasons. Before Lincoln Riley arrived to be the offensive coordinator under Bob Stoops, the Sooners were 39-13 from 2011-2014.

Riley had a good tenure at Oklahoma with four Big 12 championships in five seasons but was unable to get past the mighty SEC in three playoff appearances, losing three straight to Georgia, Alabama, and LSU. It’s fitting that his first interview with College GameDay after making the move received was greeted with the SEC chant as a reception.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions.

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The College GameDay crew is split on their prediction for SEC Championship

The picks WERE NOT unanimous!

The No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide will take on the top-ranked Georgia Bulldogs, according to the College Football Playoff committee, in the 2021 SEC Championship. The game has a title on the line, but also has major playoff implications for Nick Saban and his program, which seeks national championship No. 19.

The ESPN College GameDay crew did their show from Atlanta, where the SEC Title game is held, and made their picks for today’s conference championships.

When it got to Georgia vs. Alabama, everything was leaning in the Bulldogs favor.

The fan vote had Georgia winning with a total vote of 78%, Desmond Howard and Kirk Herbstreit also selected Georgia. The celebrity guest picker, Georgia native country artist Zac Brown, obviously chose his Bulldogs to win.

However, when it came time for Lee Corso to put on the mascot head and make his pick, Sweet Home Alabama began to play and Corso put on the Big Al head. All that to say: Alabama upsets Georgia.

Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on Twitter @SpurrFM.

Notre Dame’s new head coach Marcus Freeman visits with ESPN’s GameDay

Still fired up, are you???

The Irish’s new head coach Marcus Freeman is surely going to make his rounds and that’s exactly what has happened today. This morning on ESPN’s College GameDay the new leader for Notre Dame football met with Kirk Herbstreit, Chris Fowler and Desmond Howard virtually and was asked a few questions. Here is a recap of what Freeman told the crew.

ESPN College GameDay to be at Ohio State vs. Michigan

What is greater? FOX Big Noon or ESPN College GameDay?

For the second-straight week, ESPN’s College GameDay will be broadcasting from an Ohio State football game. Last week, the team that includes former Buckeye quarterback Kirk Herbstreit was on hand in Columbus for OSU’s complete dismantling of the Michigan State Spartans. It was a top-ten matchup that did not quite live up to the billing.

And now … according to a release from ESPN, the crew will be headed to Ann Arbor for “The Game” between what is sure to be two top ten — and maybe top-five — opponents (We’ll see how the CFP Rankings shake out) this coming Saturday.

There have been many huge clashes between OSU and Michigan over the course of the years, but they’ve been few and far between lately because of the slide the Wolverines have been on over the last couple of decades. However, Jim Harbaugh and his crew did come into the ‘Shoe in 2016 with both teams ranked in the top ten, but J.T. Barrett and his earned “spot” got the job done and sent Ohio State to the College Football Playoff.

There’s just as much on the line in this one. The winner of the contest at high Noon EST on Saturday will be the representative of the East Division and head to Indy for the Big Ten Championship game. That team also keeps its College Football Playoff hopes alive and well.

Ohio State has dominated the series as teams on both sides of the rivalry know. The Buckeyes have won 15 of the last 16 and are looking to stake their claim to their fifth-straight appearance in Indianapolis.

Meanwhile, the loser gets relegated to what will most assuredly be a consolation New Year’s Six game. It’ll all happen with Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Rece Davis, Desmond Howard, and David Pollack on-site for all the festivities.

 

ESPN’s College GameDay heading to Columbus for MSU-Ohio State

For a second time this year, Michigan State will be featured on ESPN’s College GameDay

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For a second time this year, Michigan State will be featured on ESPN’s College GameDay.

The famous college football pregame show has announced they will be heading to Columbus, Ohio next weekend for the top 10 showdown between Michigan State and Ohio State. That game will kick off at 12 p.m. EST and be televised on ABC.

This will mark the Spartans’ 16th appearance in a College GameDay matchup, with Michigan State holding a 9-6 record all-time in those games. Michigan State has won their last five games where College GameDay was in attendance, including the Spartans’ victory over Michigan earlier this season.

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Desmond Howard makes his pick for Clemson-FSU

ESPN College Football Gameday didn’t spend much time talking Tigers and Noles Saturday morning. Desmond Howard did make a pick for the game and he picked the upset. “I like Florida State. Two teams going in opposite directions. Florida State on a …

ESPN College Football Gameday didn’t spend much time talking Tigers and Noles Saturday morning.

Desmond Howard did make a pick for the game and he picked the upset.

“I like Florida State.  Two teams going in opposite directions.  Florida State on a three game streak right now.  And obviously Clemson just lost to Pitt so we don’t know what we will get from them.  I like the Seminoles against the Tigers,” said Howard

 

LOOK: Map of ESPN, Fox pregame shows locations for MSU-UM matchup on Saturday

See where ESPN’s College GameDay and Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff pregame shows will be located for this Saturday’s huge rivalry matchup between the Spartans and Wolverines

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East Lansing will be the center of the college football world this weekend.

It was announced on Monday that both ESPN and Fox will bring their college football pregame shows to Michigan State for their huge rivalry matchup with the Wolverines. ESPN’s College GameDay will be located at Ralph Young Field and Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff pregame show will be outside the STEM Teaching and Learning Facility building.

College GameDay will start at 9 a.m. EDT and Big Noon Kickoff will start at 10 a.m. EDT.

Thanks to David Harns, here’s a map for fans interested in attending either (or both) pregame shows this weekend:

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ESPN’s College GameDay heading to East Lansing for MSU-UM matchup this weekend

BREAKING: ESPN’s College GameDay is heading to East Lansing this week

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ESPN’s College GameDay is returning to East Lansing for a massive rivalry matchup this weekend.

The iconic college football pregame show announced on Monday that they will be heading to East Lansing for the Spartans’ Oct. 30 matchup with in-state rival Michigan. Both the Spartans and Wolverines are undefeated and ranked in the top 10 for this matchup.

This will mark the Spartans’ 15th appearance in a College GameDay matchup, with Michigan State holding an 8-6 record all-time in those games. Michigan State has won their last four games where College GameDay was in attendance — all of which coming in the 2015 season when Michigan State made the College Football Playoff.

Michigan State has played Michigan three other times in College GameDay selected matchups, and holds a 2-1 advantage over the Wolverines.

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WATCH: Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux receives star treatment in new ESPN feature

If you weren’t up early enough to check out ESPN’s feature on Kayvon Thibodeaux and the Oregon Ducks, it’s worth your time.

If you didn’t get up early enough on Saturday morning to watch ESPN’s College Gameday from Los Angeles to preview the Oregon Duck vs. UCLA Bruins game, then you likely missed the feature on star defender Kayvon Thibodeaux.

We wanted to bring it back for those of you who missed it, because it’s that good.

In a sitdown with coaches, players, and even the great Debra Morrison, the Associate Dean at Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication, the piece goes through Thibodeaux’s array of decisions since he was a little kid, detailing how it got him here, and where it will take him down the road. Fittingly, a game of chess was used as a through-line in it all.

The best line of the feature?

“These days, Oregon’s Kayvon Thibodeaux is playing chess, while opposing offensive linemen are playing checkers.”

With Thibodeaux back on the field and looking like he’s returned to full health, the Oregon defense can expect to take a massive step forward, now being led by arguably the best player in all of college football.

We’ll see how much of an impact that can have against UCLA’s potent offense in a must-win game for the Ducks.

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